Speakers on Thursday paid glowing tributes to the late leading actor, director, producer, painter, playwright and bureaucrat, Rauf Khalid.
They were speaking at a condolence reference here at Lok Virsa organised with a joint collaboration of ‘Aaina’, a literary organisation, and Lok Virsa. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information and Culture Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain was the chief guest while his widow, Senator Rubina Khalid, attended the condolence reference as a guest of honour. Speaking on the occasion, Mian Iftikhar Hussain paid rich tributes to the late Khalid for his meritorious contribution to the field of culture, TV drama and production. The minister said, “Rauf Khalid was a great human being. He truly served the nation when he found opportunity. His services cannot be forgotten. We, the Pakistanis, are proud of people like Rauf Khalid.” Iftikhar also lauded the services of Rauf Khalid towards promotion and preservation of culture, arts, crafts, music and folk heritage of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The widow of Rauf Khalid, Senator Rubina Khalid, speaking on the occasion, said: “Khalid was a cultural and media personality. He worked hard for the promotion and projection of Pakistani culture at home and abroad. I also supported him in materialising some of his projects. Now after his demise, I would like to accomplish his mission. So preservation and promotion of culture, arts, crafts, folklore and other art forms would remain my priority as a parliamentarian,” Rubina khalid said in a somber tone. About her family, Rubina said, “Three people were very instrumental in my life – my father, brother Zahir Ali Shah and husband Rauf Khalid. They were in favour of women’s empowerment. Two of my sisters are medical doctors and I have done law. My daughter Sidra Khalid is studying in LUMS.” Regarding her affiliation with PPP, Rubina said, “I am a jiala by birth and would love to die as a jiala. My family has been associated politically with PPP since decades. They were sent to jail and tortured during dictatorship but they did not compromise on their principles. I would also like to dedicate my entire life to the PPP and the cause of the people. PPP is, in fact, my family.”
The other participants were Federal Minister Arbab Alamgir, Senator Saeeda Iqbal, Saifullah Bangash, Afrasiab Khattak, Mrs Farah Aqil, KP ministers Aqil Shah, Ahmed Shah and Zahir Shah, Baitul Maal Chairman Zumurrad Khan, MNAs Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, Malik Azmat Khan, Nafeesa Shah, Rubina Kaimkhani, Raheela Baloch, Bushra Gohar, Surayya Amiruddin, Mehrunisa Afridi, Jamila Gilani, Faisal Sakhi Butt, Shazia Javed, Shamim Zaidi, Shahid Rafi, Sanaullah Aman, CDA member Akbar Khan Marwat, Akhtar Shah, Sumera Khan, Major Nauman, Zulfiqar Hussain, former culture secretary Moin-ul-Islam Bokhari, Federal Secretary Faridullah Khan, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, Abdul Basit, Marvi Sarmad, Tariq Miraj, Zafar Gondal, Nargis Faiz Malik, Rao Tehseen, Lt-Gen (retd) Farrukh and persons related to film and TV industry, including Ejaz Gul, Zeba Bukhtiar, Laila Zuberi and Shugufta Ejaz.
